Bee Campus USA 2021 Report

Bee Campus USA 2021 Report

CONTRIBUTORS Dr.Alejandro Fierro Cabo Martin Cortez Assistant Professor Biology

Associate Director Campus Facilities Operations

Dr. Julie Mustard

Marianella Franklin

Assistant Professor Biology

Lucia Carreon Lecturer Biology

Sarah Black Lecturer Biology

Abraham Hernandez

Executive Director Campus Facilities Operations

Carlos Chavez

Assistant Director Campus Facilities Operations

Chief Sustainability Office

Jeremy San Miguel Program Coordinator

Regina Perez

Communications Graduate Assistant

Alvaro Ayala

Communications Graduate Assistant

Yazmin Sanchez Cortez Graphic Design Graduate Assistant

Yong Chang Yi

Graphic Design Intern

UTRGV School of Earth, Environmental & Marine Sciences UTRGV Department of Biology UTRGV Facilities Planning and Operation UTRGV Office for Sustainability

Photo by David Pike, UTRGV

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

UTRGV BEE CAMPUS USA

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3 4 5 6 7 9 9 Photo by David Pike

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CONTENTS INTRODUCTION

STANDARD 1

Campus Pollinator Committee

STANDARD 2

Campus Pollinator Habitat Plan

STANDARD 3

Annual Campus Events

STANDARD 4

Service Learning Project

STANDARD 5

Pollinator Education

STANDARD 6

Educational Signage

STANDARD 7

Local Website & Contact Information

Introduction

Photo by David Pike, UTRGV

Pollinators serve a pivotal role in the Rio Grande Valley’s habitat and environment. As per the National Wildlife Refuge, the Valley serves approximately 1,200 plant species and over 300 butterfly and other pollinator species across Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, and Willacy counties, respectively. As a testament to preserving wildlife habitat and commitment to sustainability, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley continues its dedication to a Bee Campus USA designation through pollinator education, engagement, awareness, research, and service-learning. It is estimated that pollinators help generate globally, between $235 - $577 billion worth of annual food production. However, pollinator populations in Texas are falling just as they are worldwide, threatened by habitat loss due to development, intensive use of pesticides, and other threats such as Africanized bees and bee parasites, mites, and diseases. With hopes to consolidate and lead efforts in pollinator research and conservation, UTRGV’s commitment to sustainability is taking the actionable form of protecting, preserving, and increasing the population of local pollinators.

UTRGV has established a Bee Campus USA Committee, hosting annual events to raise awareness of pollinators, and educating through formal courses as well as workshops and signage across campus. In addition to UTRGV’s incorporation of native plants into campus landscaping and exclusion of pesticides that are harmful to pollinators, students, staff, faculty, and the community are contributing to conservation efforts with pollinator gardens, among other efforts.

In 2018, Dr. Lucia Carreon Martinez, UTRGV biology lecturer, spearheaded the establishment of the new pollinator garden on the UTRGV Brownsville Campus (The Pollinator Cantina), teaming up with Dr. Alejandro Fierro Cabo (SEEMS faculty), Dr. Julie Mustard (Biology faculty), Sara Black (Biology faculty), and Dr. Rupesh Kariyat (Biology faculty.)

The Brownsville campus is also the home to Dr. Julie Mustard’s bee research lab, where students have the

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opportunity to handle bees in a research setting.

This research includes areas that involve molecular mechanisms of learning and memory and honey bee behavior. Their hive is thriving due to its proximity to The Pollinator Cantina, and the bees’ pollination contributes to the garden growing beautifully.

In an effort to help build on the existing foundation of the aforementioned initiatives, UTRGV’s SEEMS, Department of Biology, the Facilities and Operations department, and in collaboration with the Office for Sustainability hosted a total of 6 pollinator-related events offering opportunities for the community to learn about the importance of pollinators and how they contribute to our local ecosystems. As students and community members learn about the plants that bees and butterflies thrive on, they can begin to apply this knowledge in their backyards, workplace, and thus, extending UTRGV’s commitment to protect, preserve and increase the pollinator population.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

UTRGV BEE CAMPUS USA

STANDARD 1

Campus Pollinator Committee

UTRGV has participated in programs similar to Bee Campus USA including the Arbor Day Foundation’s Tree Campus USA and has established working procedures for sustainable projects, which are always carried out by order of committees. UTRGV’s Bee Campus USA Committee is made up of faculty, students, and the director of Campus Facilities Operations, among other staff. The committee meets quarterly to plan pollinator conservation education efforts and events.

UTRGV FACULTY COMMITTEE MEMBERS Dr. Alejandro Fierro-Cabo

Dr. Julie Mustard

UTRGV Assistant Professor

UTRGV Assistant Professor

Committee Chair

Committee Co-Chair

School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences alejandro.fierrocabo@utrgv.edu

Biology julie.mustard@utrgv.edu

Lucia Carreon

Sara Black

Marianella Franklin

UTRGV Assistant Professor

UTRGV Lecturer

Chief Sustainability Officer

Abigail Pozulp

David Lecusay, Jr.

Abraham Hernandez

UTRGV Graduate Student

UTRGV Graduate Student

Executive Director

Douglas Mainhart

Celia Mclean

Martin Cortez

UTRGV Graduate Student

UTRGV Graduate Student

Associate Director

Gaspar Najera

Carlos Chavez

UTRGV Undergraduate Student

Assistance Director

Committee Member Biology lucia.carreonmartinez@utrgv.edu

Student Committee Member MS Biology

Student Committee Member MS Biology

Committee Member Biology sara.black@utrgv.edu

Student Committee Member Biology

Student Committee Member MS Biology

Student Committee Member BS Marine Biology

Committee Member

UTRGV Office for Sustainability marianella.franklin@utrgv.edu

Committee Member

Campus Facilities Operations abraham.hernandez@utrgv.edu

Committee Member Campus Facilities operations martin.cortez@utrgv.edu

Committee Member Campus Facilities Operations carlos.chavez@utrgv.edu

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STANDARD 2

Campus Pollinator Habitat Plan

Photo by Julie Mustard, UTRGV

UTRGV’s Integrated Pest Management Plan includes native and pollinator-friendly plants, which are listed in UTRGV’s annual Bee Campus Report, available on the Office for Sustainability’s website. Some of UTRGV’s staples in landscaping are species preferred by insect and bird pollinators. UTRGV is heavily committed to taking the next step in education by adding regional sources for such plants and detailing a least toxic integrated pest management (IPM) model applicable to other local landscapes.

List of Native Plants in the UTRGV Pollinator Garden White Plumbago Tamaulipan Fiddlewood Vasey Adelia Lantana Velvet Lantana Desert Lantana Crucita Scorpions Tail Heartleaf Hibiscus Shrubby Blue Sage Red / Scarlet Sage Texas / Purple Sage Wooly Bee Brush White Brush Cortez Croton

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Low Croton Skeleton Leaf Goldeneye Daisy Trixis Elbowbrush Black Brush Mexican Oregano Mexican Caprara Texas Kineywood Coral Bean Barbados Cherry Turk’s Cap Carlowrightia Runyon’s water willow Zizotemilkweed (Prairie milkweed)

Betony leaf mistflower White mistflower Spring mistflower Gregg’s mistflower Seaside goldenrod Hairy widely Rio Grande Valley butterfly brush Texas persimmon Coyotillo Woolly pyramid bush Texas Frog Fruit Sea ox-eye daisy Spiny aster Twisted Acacia Marsh Mallow

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

Mckelvey’s bee blossom Pink Gaura Shrimp plant Coastal germander Brush holly Lotusbus Horse crippler cactus Texas stonecrop Prickly pear Low growing prickly pear Candelilla Ladyfinger cactus Night-blooming Cereus Cholla

UTRGV BEE CAMPUS USA

STANDARD 3

Annual Campus Events UTRGV commits to raising awareness of the importance of pollinators through events, both in person, and virtual, which consist of guided pollinator garden walks and activities, workshops, presentations, and films. In addition, these events serve as a vital opportunity to acknowledge the institution’s sustained certification as a Bee Campus USA institution.

For the fiscal year 2021, UTRGV hosted six virtual/ hybrid pollinator events, including Pollinator Day during the annual Earth Fest celebration. With the appropriate COVID-19 system-wide protocols, students, staff, and faculty learned the importance of pollinators throughout the week. In addition, five new grounds and maintenance projects officially launched to enhance habitat throughout UTRGV. The enhanced grounds

include the Veteran Memorial Garden, School of Medicine Garden, Science Lab Circle, New Engineering Building, and the New Science Building/Lab Gardens.

The five-day event was host to a variety of virtual keynote speakers as well as virtual tree-planting ceremonies, which The Facilities and Operations department prerecorded on both Edinburg and Brownsville campuses days prior. These flowering trees help attract more pollinators into the area bringing light to new research opportunities for students, staff, faculty, and community, promoting further engagement and pollinator-related awareness. Additionally, several film screenings emphasized the U.N’s sustainable development goals and educated the community on the importance of these calls to action.

“ For bees, the flower is the fountain of life. For flowers, the bee is the messenger of love.”

-Kahill Gabran

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STANDARD 4

Service Learning Project

Photo by Dr. Julie Mustard

In an effort to help enhance pollinator habitat on and off-campus, a significant number of upgrades and expansions emerged throughout several UTRGV gardens expanding a total of 3554 total square feet for new pollinator habitat.

Over 200 students participated in this expansion project under the supervision of Dr. Julie Mustard as part of the university’s requirements to designate service-learning courses that meet defined criteria in course design.

The various garden expansion and improvements included:

Photo by Dr. Julie Mustard

• Pollinator Cantina Garden Expansion • Veteran Memorial Garden • School of Medicine Garden • Science Lab Circle • New Engineering Building Garden • New Science Building/Lab Garden These expansions helped improve the university’s flower gardens, vegetable gardens, rain gardens, bioswale, and community gardens. UTRGV’s pollinator-friendly lawns helped flowering dandelions, flowering clovers, and native milkweed plantings (where applicable) benefit and increased monarchs and traveling bees.

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Photo by Silver Salas, UTRGV

Photo by Dr. Julie UTRGV Photo

by Mustard, Dr. Julie Mustard

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

UTRGV BEE CAMPUS USA

Photo by David Pike

Photo by Dr. Julie Mustard

UTRGV significantly expanded the existing Pollinator Cantina Garden with 18 new beds providing 2234 ft2 of new, highquality Pollinator Habitat. These new beds contain over 30 native plant species, 13 native shrubs, and several small trees.

In addition, stumps of various lengths (1 - 3 ft) were installed with 4-6” deep holes of varying diameters in order to make a habitat for tunnel nesting native bees. A ground-nesting plot was given the green light, which was coated with cardboard for several months in order to effectively prevent grass regrowth.

Photo by David Pike

Photo by Dr. Julie Mustard

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Photo by David Pike

STANDARD 5

Pollinator Education

Photo by Dr. Julie Mustard

UTRGV is committed to incorporating pollinator protection education into the already existing selection of professional development training offered to faculty and staff.

Pollinator-related courses offered at UTRGV campuses include Plant-Animal Interactions, Animal Behavior, Conservation Biology, Plant-Animal Interactions, Restoration Ecology, General Biology, Cell, and Molecular Biology, Sustainable Agriculture, and Apiculture Research, where one section.

The planning and expansion of the pollinator cantina also included collaboration and input from community partners; Silvia Barr (Quinta Mazatlan), Matt Kauffman (Valley Nature Center), Cruz Salinas (drip irrigation expert), and Max Munoz (National Butterfly Center).

Photo by David Pike

STANDARD 6

Educational Signage Regarding Pollinators UTRGV commits to educating the campus and helping broaden community awareness regarding pollinatorfriendly landscaping principles by labeling the plants in campus pollinator gardens and posting signage across campus. This signage promotes how insects provide a natural process for pest management and pollination.

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Early design mockup of educational signage .

As of 2021, a total of 46 signs have been installed on both, the Edinburg and Brownsville campuses respectively. Signage on the Brownsville campus includes a large welcome sign with changing pollinator information and 24 small permanent signs with specific information on plant species and its most frequent pollinator or larval guest. 15 Bee Campus USA Pollinator-Friendly Garden signs are installed between both the Edinburg and Brownsville campus gardens.

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY

UTRGV BEE CAMPUS USA

STANDARD 7

Local Website & Contact Information For more information contact:

School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Studies (956) 882-5055 david.hicks@utrgv.edu www.utrgv.edu/seems

Department of Biology biology@utrgv.edu (956) 665-3537 ESCNE 2.360

Pollinator Cantina

URL: https://www.utrgv.edu/pollinatorcantina/en-us

Office for Sustainability sustainability@utrgv.edu (956) 665-3030 EINNV 1.118

Bee Campus USA EINNV 1.118

URL: https://www.utrgv.edu/sustainability/ programs/bee-campus-usa

Photo by David Pike

Bee City USA Affiliate Spotlight: University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Texas

URL: https://beecityusa.org/affiliate-spotlight-university-oftexas-rio-grande-valley-texas

Photo by David Pike

“Where there are bees there are flowers, and wherever there are flowers there is new life and hope.”

-Christy Lefteri

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Photo by David Pike

CONTACT The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley 1201 West University Dr. Edinburg, TX 78539

School of Earth, Environmental and Marine Sciences (956) 882-5055 david.hicks@utrgv.edu www.utrgv.edu/seems

Department of Biology (956) 665-3537 biology@utrgv.edu www.utrgv.edu/biology

The Office for Sustainability (956) 665-3030 sustainability@utrgv.edu www.utrgv.edu/sustainability

Facilities Planning and Operations (956) 665-2770 abraham.hernandez@utrgv.edu

THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS RIO GRANDE VALLEY